Social and Cultural Factors Influencing Teenage Pregnancies Among Secondary School Students in Gucha District of Kenya

Abstract

Teenage pregnancies and the eventual dropping out of school has been and still is a major problem bedeviling the education sector in many parts of developing countries. There are various factors that have been associated with teenage pregnancies. Among these factors are social and cultural factors that have not been fully explored in the light of the prevailing teenage pregnancies in secondary schools in Kenya. The main purpose of this study was therefore to examine the influence of these factors in teenage pregnancies among secondary school students in Gucha District of Kenya. The study examined the influence of these factors on teenage pregnancies and the interventions that can be adopted to curb the prevalence. The study employed survey research design. The sample consisted of eighty (n=80) form four students and four (n=4) teachers from four girls’ secondary schools that were selected to participate in the study. From each of the form 4 classes in respective schools, twenty (20) students were selected using systematic sampling procedure. Questionnaire was used to collect data from the students while interview method was used to collect data from teachers. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, employing both quantitative and qualitative approach. Data from the students were purely analysed quantitatively and presented in frequencies and percentages while data from teachers were analysed qualitatively. From the analysis, the study revealed the following: there are certain social-cultural related factors that influenced teenage pregnancies among secondary school students in Gucha District. These included erosion of African traditional norms and values on sexual behaviour, inadequate involvement of women in decision making (especially on reproductive health matters) and prevalence of female circumcision. In regard to the effects, the study revealed that teenage pregnancies are associated with healthy risks, school drop outs among students in the District. The study suggested all stakeholders in education to work together towards implementation of sound community and school based programs to address the issue of social-cultural aspects that are associated with teenage pregnancies among secondary school students.

Keywords: reproductive health, teenage pregnacies, early pregnacies, adolescents pregnancies